MANGYSTAU KAZAKHSTAN PHOTO TOUR
SEPTEMBER 27 - OCTOBER 6 2026
GUIDES
Isabella Tabacchi
Alessandro Cantarelli
WHEN
September 27-October 6 2026
PRICE
EUR 3500 ~ USD$ 4000
DEPOSIT
USD$1500
Join Our Exclusive Mangystau Kazakhstan Photo Tour
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime Kazakhstan Photo Tour across the pristine and surreal landscapes of Mangystau region. Designed for photographers and adventurers, this immersive photo expedition offers 10 unforgettable days of discovery, creativity, and connection with the ancient soul of Central Asia.
This tour is a true landscape photography retreat in the wilderness of the Mangystau region, near the Caspian Sea, in very remote places where you’ll experience the pure contact with nature and immortalize the beauty and the geological uniqueness of the alien South-Western Kazakh landscapes.
The locations we are going to visit are really remote. We will reach them with 4x4 land cruisers (3 persons per car plus driver) and sleep on the photo spots with tents (all camping gear provided by us) under the starry sky. Meals are all included and our local guides will cook for us.
The only locations where we will sleep in beds are first and last night in a 4 stars hotel in the city of Aktau.
Are you ready for this crazy adventure?
✅ What’s Included in the Mangystau Photo Tour
Professional landscape photography coaching by Isabella Tabacchi and Alessandro Cantarelli throughout the entire tour.
Daily photography coaching (on the spots, editing lessons and portfolio reviews)
All local transportation by 4x4 Land Cruisers by experienced local drivers
All accommodations:
Hotel in Aktau (first and last night)
Tented camping in remote locations (tents and all camping gear like pillows, sleeping bags, comfortable mattress provided)
All meals during the tour, including:
All meals in traditional restaurants and Kazakh specialities cooked by our chefs at the camp for breakfast, dinner and lunch.
Drinks like water, beer, tea, shubat (camel yogurt) & coffee. We have refrigerators.
Photography permits, national park fees and access to all planned locations.
Local guides and drivers familiar with the Mangystau terrain.
Drinking water throughout the trip.
Airport transfers from hotels to and from Aktau (SCO) Airport.
Support with gear logistics and packing tips before departure
Transportation in comfortable Toyota landcruisers with over 10 years experienced local drivers that we know personally. The cars are modern and have air conditioning.
Editing Sessions (with recordings), Photos review and presets and videos by Isabella and Alessandro
Shower break in a hotel in a town in the middle of the tour.
Full assistance in shooting and drone (if you have it) sessions by 2 award winning photographers.
3 generators at our disposal to charge batteries and devices + inverters.
Assistance after the tour and group chat on WA.
❌ What’s Not Included in the Mangystau Photo Tour
Flights to and from Aktau.
Even if flights are not included, we can book the flights for you with an extra fee of EUR 150.
Souvenirs, extra snacks or drinks that you may want to buy when we are in the towns on the road. Consider that we bring drinks, tea, coffee, beer and shubat (camel yogurt) in our refrigerators so you probably don’t need to buy other drinks.
Travel Insurance. If you need one we can take care of that, let us know when you book this tour and we will tell you the fees.
Join Our Exclusive Mangystau Kazakhstan Photo Tour
A 10-Day Landscape Photography Expedition with Isabella Tabacchi
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime Kazakhstan Photo Tour across the otherworldly and untouched desert landscapes of the Mangystau region. Led by the award-winning landscape photographers Isabella Tabacchi and Alessandro Cantarelli alias Alex Wides, this 10-day adventure is designed for passionate photographers, nature lovers, and explorers who crave raw beauty, solitude, and visual storytelling.
Why Join the Mangystau Desert Photo Tour?
Nestled in the remote southwest of Kazakhstan, Mangystau is a hidden gem of Central Asia. Its surreal desert terrain, reminiscent of alien planets, is a dream for landscape photographers. During this tour, you’ll capture:
Martian-like plateaus and colorful canyons
Wind-sculpted limestone formations and sacred valleys
Golden sunrises, endless horizons, and magical night skies
The unique geological wonders of the Valley of Balls, Kharynzariq, Tuzbair, Bozzhira and Valley of Castles.
True Wilderness Experience with Comfort and Safety
This is more than just a photo trip, it’s a landscape photography retreat in the wild. Our expedition takes you far off the beaten path, where silence reigns and nature shows its ancient face. Here's what to expect:
Remote exploration by 4x4 Land Cruisers
Overnight stays in tents on location for optimal sunrise and sunset shots
Stargazing and astrophotography opportunities under the desert sky
Delicious meals prepared daily by our expert local guides
You’ll spend most nights under the stars, but we’ll also enjoy a well-deserved rest in a scenic Yurt Camp near the Valley of Castles and spend the first and last nights at a comfortable hotel in Aktau.
THE MANGYSTAU KAZAKHSTAN PHOTO TOUR LEADERS
Isabella Tabacchi is an award winning landscape photographer, internationally recognized for her evocative, emotional, and dreamlike photographic style.
Isabella in 2025 explored all the possible places in Mangystau in Kazakhstan and knows all the best photography spots and the secrets of these incredible remote places.
Isabella is Fujifilm GFX Ambassador and DJI SkyPixel Creator, has been part of the Grand Jury of the Hasselblad Masters 2021, received the title of Photographer of the Year in Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA).
Third prize winner in the International Landscape Photographer of the year 2020 and 2023, 1 place winner in the Xposure Awards in UAE, Top 10 Photos Winners in the DJI SkyPixel 9th Annual Photo & Video Contest.
Alessandro Cantarelli is a professional landscape photographer specializing in extreme panoramas and expedition logistics. After years of Arctic adventures, Alex now leads desert expeditions that blend artistic vision with meticulous field planning.
Alessandro won several awards including the overall winner in the Epson International pano Awards. He is considered the best photographer in the panoramic photography field.
Together with Isabella and the Mangystau guides, Alex ensures every participant can focus on creativity while the team handles navigation, safety, meals and camp life across the Kazakh wilderness.
The Mangystau Photo Tour encapsulates Alex's philosophy: live on location, understand the geology, and tell stories that feel as raw and surreal as the terrain itself.
The best photo gear for the Mangystau Kazakhstan Photo Tour
For this immersive landscape photography tour in Mangystau, Kazakhstan, it’s important to come well-prepared with the right photo gear to fully capture the dramatic desert scenery, vast canyons, and star-filled skies.
A full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual settings is ideal for high-resolution landscape work. Bring a wide-angle lens (14–24mm or 16–35mm) for expansive desert vistas, medium lens (24-70, 24-120 mm) as well as a telephoto lens (70–200mm or longer) to isolate distant peaks and rock formations.
A sturdy tripod is essential for sunrise, sunset, and astrophotography, especially to face the very windy weather.
A drone to capture the incredible and colorful patterns and formations from above. Of course, it’s not essential for this photo tour but, if you have one, it’s recommended to bring one that can resist to the windy weather (better for example DJI Mavic 4 Pro and similar weight, not so much Mini). No license or permission is needed to fly in those places.
All the locations we will visit, are perfect for both camera and drone photography sessions.
We recommend polarizing filters to enhance contrast in the colorful skies of Mangystau and ND or GND in case you wish to make long exposures. Also pack extra batteries, dual memory cards, a remote shutter release, and lens cleaning kits, as fine desert dust is inevitable. This is a rare opportunity to shoot untouched terrain in changing light and weather, so the more prepared your gear, the more powerful your images will be.
Testimonials of our Photo Tours
